Tube aligning mechanism



Aug 7 1945 F. J. cozzoLl TUBE ALIGNING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed Feb. 12, 1943 mvENToR ATTORNEY lg- 7 1945 F. J. cozzoLl 2,381,436

TUBE ALIGNING MEGHANISM 4 sheet-shget 2 Original Filed Feb. 12, 1943 lNvENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. '.7, 1945.

F. J. cQzzoLl TUBE ALIGNING MECHNISM Original Filed Feb. l2, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1' Fla?.

llslPl INVENTOR `7M ya. @ya

ATTORNEY Aug. 7, 1945. F. .1. cozzoLl 2,381,436

TUBE ALIGNING 'MECHANISM' Original Filed Feb. 1.2, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 3.

?7 f 'l W G l-W AMF- 85 77a.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY 1 'Patented Aug.y 7, 1945y UNITED srArEs PATENT. orFlcE TUBE ALIGN'I'NG MEcHANVIsM y 1 `lFrank J. cozzoli, Plainfield; N41.l original application February 12, V1943, serial No. 4"'15525'.` vDivided and this application December 20, 1943, Serial No. 514,929 11 claims. (cl. 19a-'20)- The present invention relates toimprovements in article feeding means and more particularly to animproved mechanism fortfe'eding attenuatedand relatively-small bored containers to and upon the shan-ks ofl tubular needles in preparation for subsequent processing; s y

The present application is a divisionl of my prior application Serial No. 475,625, l'ed Feb. 12, 1943', and the invention hereof has for a primary object, to render availableI a mechanism adapt' ed automatically to bring the relatively small bore of a glass tube, an ampulefor example, and the free end of the needle to be received therein, into concentric relation prior to telescoping of the needle vand tube, tothe end that such telescopingmay be effectedf without danger' of f fracturing or spl'intering the glass of the ampule. kBecause of' the fragileness ofthe necks of the ampules and the tendency of' the' needles` on Whichthe'y are to be mounted;'for washing,l flll-` ing etc. to'become out of alignment, the loading has heretofore been effected manually by one or more attendants and, in consequencathe'rate of movement ofA the tubes through their `succes-- sive processing operations Wasslowed to the rate' of hand loading. Theautomatic centering and load-ing features of the present invention relieves the: operator ofthe machineof the strain andi effort involved i-n the mutual centering ofthe needles and' tubes and the subsequent process@` ing ofr the containers is, accordingly greatlyy ace oelerated. i f

The inventionl is particularly useful in feedd ing 'ampules or other small' apertured bottles or' tubesfonto needles/of a'washing machine.

. the washing of such containers, tubular needles f arel used to deliver the' washing fluid, tothe inj-P teriors of the containers, andthe needles-them'- selvesmust be introduced into" the containersandf project ther-'cinto4 a distance* 'suiii-cient toy 'convey the liquid pastthe restricted necks there-- of so that a relativelyv 'iree passageway along the exterior of the needle remains for' the esca-pesci' air displaced from withinthe body of the'confk tainer. The liquid being injected into the body' of the container by way ofthe restricted or atexpeditiously afterthe needle is inserted-into" the container.' f

become, after a 'period of usage, somewhat cur-ved." The present invention affords van automatic means for centering the ends of needles that may b e out of alignment with the container end about to be' placed thereon. In a similar way', the' invention undertakes to provide a means 'for centering the needle' receiving opening of the con"- tainer with the needle'a'bout vto be introduced thereinto, so' that containers that may be slightly deformed or have their' necks slightly oil'set from true, may be used and fed along Withthe perectly formed container.' While the container makers aim is perfect uniformity, that end is' very difficult to achieve especially inthe glassv blowing' yand drawing art. The present invention 'automatically aligns the needle 'with the small opening in the container and' so provides .for such minor irregularities that may exist betweenindividualI containers and needles. i s

A further aim. of theinvention isto render available a tube feeding mechanism capable yof accommodating containers of different body diarneters and different lengths simultaneously or.

in successive runs, so that containers of a Wide variety of sizes may be automatically centered and mounted upon tubular needles correspondingly different in size.

For purposes of illustration, the present invention is' disclosed in conjunction with an ampule Washing machine having a conveyor structure I with a series of transversely extending trough f tenuated neck is confinedvvithi'n the borek of the l vneedle and does not yprevent thevoutfl'ovv 'of-lair.

The sinallf size of the container necksdemands;A

f vof course, still smaller' diametered tubular-nee f ales and although they are initially straights'olneassemblies, each' of' which carries one or more radiating tubular needles'on whichthe tubes to be' cleaned arev located. ment the trough assemblies are removably attached to the links of chainsthat pass over cog 'Wheels intermittently revolvableon horizontal axes. As the cogs are' intermittently actuated, the troughs and needles pass from'the'v under side of the Wheel axis to aY horizontal position Where synchronously driven tube feeding mechanisms aligns the tubesand needles and places the tubes on' the needles. The next movement of the conveyor lifts the tubes out'of the loading mechanism, and subsequent movements places them in' a vertical position, with their open ends down. Each trough assembly is formed with a laterally extending common: conduit in communication withV each of the needle jets, and Whose outer end is adapted to be en- I gagedsuccessively by each of .a series ofindependent' fluidA supply nozzles. The supply noz-Y zles are normally stationary' relative to the move'- -lnent of the troughs, but have a.L reciprocating motion". timed withl thev conveyor movements so In the instant embodi-L nism and the foregoing example is but representative of a typical use of this invention.

During the period of rest of the conveyor additional tubes are being fed and located on the needles at the loading station, by means driven by the conveyor driving means, and the thoroughly cleaned tubes are being discharged from the needles at the end station on to a conveyor or other mechanism leading to packaging or lling devices.` The operation is such that the attendant merely places unclean tubes, which may be of like size or of different sizes, in the loading channels', after which they are automatically aligned with the washing needles, placed theren, and moved through the successive cleansing, sterilizing and drying stations, and the sterile tubes thereafter discharged upon a conveyor or receiving means ready for the subsequent `operations of filling and sealing. The washing operation is continuously intermittent and allows just enough dwell period at each station to insure proper loading, proper connecting and disconnecting of the fluid lines, and cyclic operation of the control valves, to insure adequate sterilization and drying time without waste or mixing of the ingredients. of `placing unclean tubes in the feeding racks, the machine operation is entirely automatic in its s functioning.

Otherv obje-cts and advantageswill be in part indicated in the following descriptionand in part rendered apparent therefrom in connection with the annexed drawings,

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to apprehend the underlying features hereof .that they may embody the same in the various ways contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred typical construction have been annexed as apart of this disclosure and, in such.

better `to illustrate the drive means and the mechanismsfor coordinating the movements of the vseveral elements and controls. s

Fig. 3 is a plan-view of a loading mechanism.

Fig. 4 is an endlvie-w thereof; Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of a portion of the ,tube and needle aligning means; and Fig, 6 is a sectional view taken through one ofthe loading troughs and aligning means.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 'I--l of Fig. 3.

Following `the initial operation that after each trough arrives at a station a con- Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the washing machine illustrated is mounted upon a pair of leg standards IU, and comprises essentially, a pair of lower rails Il, I2 and a pair of upper rails I3, I4, between which a series of bearing plates I5, I6, Il, I8, are secured. The construction is such that by using increased or decreased lengths of rails II-I4, and adding or removing pairs of bearing plate units I5-I8, the length of the machine may be altered and its capacity changed to suit specic requirements without expensive reconstruction or time consuming delays. This improved structure is more fully set forthand claimed in my eopending application Ser. No. 514,930.

The supporting rails II-I4 are spaced apart, as in Fig. 2, and the channel therebetween contains*` substantially all of the actuating mechanisms. The conveyor mechanism also travels between the supporting rails and includes two linked chain structures I9 and 2li, whose pivot rolls 2| engage notches` 22 in driving and driven pairs of star wheels 23 and 24. The wheels 23 and .24 are fxedly mounted to shafts 25 and 26, respectively, and these are journaled in bearing blocks 21 and 28 supported bythe main frame.

Between the pair of star wheels 23 a ratchet wheel 29 is fixed and adapted to be driven intermittently by means of a spring pressed pawl 3i) mounted at the end of an actuating lever 3 I. The other end ofthe lever is pivoted to a cross support at 32 in such a position that a central portion of the lever overlaysl an actuating cam or roller 33 mounted upon av main cam shaft 34.

A motor 35 drives the main shaft through reduction gearing in a housingf36, `and when opv erating the actuating arm 3l is caused to be raised and lowered once during each complete turn ofl the cam shaft. Each time the arm is lifted the pawl 30 engages a notch in the ratchet wheel and indexes the wheel one position. Such movements, it will be seen, advances the conveyor step by step in-a counterclockwise direction (in Fig. l), leaving a dwell period between steps for loading and cleansing operations.

The links of the two conveyor chains are disposed directly opposite one another and are bridged byr removable needle trough assemblies 40 each of which comprises an open ended trough member 4I having a plurality of aligned tube supporting hollow needles ft2 radiating therefrom. Each needle is screw threaded tothe bottom of a trough` and it interior arranged to communicate with a common conduit lI3 formed in the trough bottom. The conduit is closed at one end and its other end ,is provided with a valve seat 44 which is. adapted to cooperate intermittently fwith the valved end of fluid supply conduits 45.

In the present embodiment, eight supply stations and eight supply nozzles 45 have been illustrated. The number may, however, be increased or decreased asidesired. Each of the nozzles 45 is normally spring pressed toward the valve seat 44 in, a related trough assembly by a spring 46 operating between a loose collar il and a normally tight collar 48. By adjusting the tight collar to the left (in Fig. 2) the particular nozzle effected maybe prevented from moving.

The several nozzles are actuated outwardly by means oflevers 49 that are secured to an oscillatable shaft 50 journaled in brackets 5I secured to the framing. Anotherlever 52 is also secured to the shaft 50 and has its lower end pivotally connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 53 which in turn is pivoted at 5|4 in a bracket seinto the ones. p The air for the jets isconL trolledby` a normally closedvalve 88d secured ,to the frame,` and whiclfisopenedautomatically during the forward movement of the-slide and closed again `duringtlfie return movement.

To effect this operation, a pivotedvalve'actujating lever `Bfis provided,v the ander sideoi -vvhieh is formed with a camsurfaoe 88?.: adapted adapted to track upon a roller"88 of ther slide.4 Vllsvgthe slide moves forward, the roller ilffvroc'zks` the lever about its pivot anddepressesthe lvalve stem, thus admitting the air tothe manifold B BPfvandfthe jets sa. Lwhen the. preSsuresl on; the! ampules immediately move forward into 'the 4cone c hoks andare held bythe streamsl `of airpressurein .positions readyto receive the needlesl When the chucks open, theair streams continue topufs'h the ampulesforward welljon the needles. vAhead ofthe control valve 884.?, cutfofl valve 8811may. be installedl for closing offer regulating the volume, and ahead of `the fvalve "88d a4 pressure ',freducng orV regulating valveinot shown)` "mayfbe installed. The latter i'sdesirable, in` installation where the linev pressure. is too high.,A jet .pressure of approximately 5 l, pounds will Uadv'ar'ice medium size ampules .eiliciently.,. Langen-and smaller tubesJor heavierand lighter tubes'will naturally require increased or decreased jetl presisures. The `air from .the control valve is directed to the jets 88y through a line 883 fand...a'.eiiible hose 8815, the` latter type .ofconnectionfp'rovides for the movement of thecarr-iage `80 andjets 88a relative to the fixed controlvalve. f. 1Q

The centering conefeler'nent's 89, and SVIr are formedv in .two parts, Aeach lpartir being .,pivoted .to the carrier'at V93, some distance belowfthe conical seats,`and one leg 94 of .ehpair-is pivoted to an actuating rodA 9.5,and jthe other leg 95. `of each pair, is pivoted to anotheractuating rod-91. A spring 98B- connects with oppositeV ends of `both rods and is tensioned normally .tohold all :of the cones in closed position (full line position in Fig. 5). As the carrier 80=travels forwards `in response to the action of the cam 8|,frollersi`95airand-91?' carried at the ends ofthe rods 95 and `QTLengage stationary cams 98fand 9 9, and `at theendv of the forward movement, the inclineof thestationary cams react to force the rods; inwardly 'thereby eiecting opening of the cones, i.: e.; to the position illustrated in dotted linesin Fig. f.5.' By the time this occurs `the cleaning. needles will` navel-"been centeredand caused to Vproject lwell into the 'ampule or tube necks and the succeeding indexing movement'of the'conveyor will-effect 'a lifting of the ampulesf lout of the'ichann'els 86 through the then opened centering cones. Just priorthereto,

howeventhe opening of the `centerin'gkones permitsl the icompressed air or the spring cushions lli. to `push each tube forward further .ron i the associated needle so that the ampules are"well vforward on the needle's'at the-time indexing'ocrs,

and consequently' cannot fall'off.' i

The means for advancing th-plung'ers l!!! relative to the carrier'fi the form fillustrat'edrin Figs. 1 fand* 4- comprises a5 sliding `framevlll that is guided on rods Illlthat form?pari-,pffthe,traveling carrier j80i' The carrier' also' n noun'ts yat its rear portion?, apair'of'supporting rollers I |12 rotatably mounted on ashaftfl'l' Each 4'roller bears v'upon Aa' track plate rofsee'ured tothe-mainfram- .wherebyj the latterfmovey forward 1slightly faster thantherforward i1noverrieritofV` the carrier.` A helical spring 109", havingone endfconnectedvwith the freeend Vo f the rlever lltand its other'end connected asupportnljl 0 4'Zlvpinding Afrom the carriage ,"8.Q,' '`5ooperates` "fto advance' the plungers ,8.8 relativeto"thefcarragejasthellatter' is propolled' fQrWar'd 1aed rn'drs the.'l plunges as' .a gram. s1ighi1yrie1dah1e1-. .This mechanism is not necessary whenjthe pneumatidfeederisemployed. Theacton' offthe e1e`lnentS, 9n.1i/'erse movement .`o'f thejca'rri to "allow a` succeeding neem@ grcupto move into* loading position) is ljust ,thereverse tlozthat'le lainedgf'with ythe lresult 'that'jamplefspacebe e jets vorpliuigers andthecenteringeones s'proiln ed'to permit easy insertion of unmeaiiiubes die ne channels.

' Iny orde- .that the .lolldlgmhnim be adapted for, tubes'of fdiffe re'rlt,length,4 .each plunger 88 is adjustable, endwise. 'relative toiY the. slide l D0. Set screws 1,00% afreftprovided to lfookfeaehI plunger in` ladjusted position The dotted ,linesin Eig `3 .illustrate the, .lower ee iplungers adjusted outwardly to accommodat slightly longer tubes. All

.plungers. arehowe`vel;.:slniilarly adjustable and in. consequence two orivmore signes.of,.td1oesy may be loaded and., sterilized simultaneously. `When necessary,vone or'moreoffgthepneedles in the trough assemblies, Ymay also jbe replaced by needles .ofl a sizebestgadapted,totsupport the particular tubes to @bev sterilized. v Fory exceptionallyV large tubes, the stationarypamsisand 99,` and the ful- .crum-plate |08v mayi be; shifted-rearwardly the requisite amount 4:toy allow.; .correspondingly long needlesto swing into position infront. of the centering cones. With thefimachine;equipped.with the pneumatic feedergallyof the'fjets .may be ad- "giusted as a unitv toward .or-"aWayfrOm the cone chucks,:and if different vlen'gth'tubes are' to berun simultaneously jet xtubes= of 1 different lengths may be mounted inthe slide and manifold.

As the `needle assemblie's'move upwardly about the' star wheel' center v2E,\Carryingrand supporting thereon the ampules 'or tubes; the" tubes 4'should any `be not fully'fdown'v on the needlesfarecau'sed to settle thereon and 'are' then fcarri'edfalong the top of "the" conveyorfinffan':inverted position through the\ei'ght fsterilizlng stations.y "'At 'the stationa'; hot w'a'telffor'examplelfmaybe injected into the interior of the tubes'tl'irough the .needles 'and connectionsheretoforeveiplained;and at the next station af; airor other" dryingmediu'm; At the third station b; another' cleansing fluidk not necessarily"v w'aterg-4 may be inj cted fc'illowedI by a dryingor expelling `mediiini at'statiori ligand Similar Clllillg aIlTS-tl-"lzillgf' pliollS performed atstationsfc, c', d, and d', thus insuring a-hig'h degree of sterility; v w f v"Althoughv itis not essential,it has been found convenientto group the'cleansing stations in 4 iiuid -that drains rfrom the troughjat theA rst station of the pair. This objective may be 'achieved by providing a plurality of catchbasinsl I along i thepath of' travel under the lips of the troughs.

In the instant example four of such basinshave b'eenl'provided and eachy has an opening III thereinwhich may be plugged, as. illustrated, vin Fig.' 2, or piped to appropriate reclaiming `apparatus or to reservoirs. Such liquid thatmay drip from the -sides of theftroughs during their travel aboutlthe conveyor is collectedr in an underlying pani I I 2 from which it escapes to a sump through a'pipelI'l3.- l 7:4' 2

As illustrated 'in Figs. land 2, the. ampules'or tubes-.are vprevented from` being f blown: off: the

needleswhen'the pressurefis applied, by avertica'llyadjustable cover II4. This .cover is :open ended and normally'is seti to `clear thebottornsof the inverted tubes withoutA Iallowing the tubes too muchl-endiplay therebetween!"l .v

ceiving spindles successively int'o alignment with theiaxis of said conevshaped jaws and for holding same'in' said position, means thereafter operable to advance saidv plungers Aandsaid jawmembers relative to `said receiving spindles thereby to positionV the containers in mounted position on said spindles, and means for actuating said jaw members to open position prior to an index movement .ofthe.v carrier.

2. 'I'he -combinationset forthA inv claim 1* includingv means operable subsequent:to the positioning of the containers on the spindles and following the opening rof-said jaw members to ad- Vance the containers further onsaid spindles prior i `At the completion'of thevseveral cleaning cycles v the? sterile tubes are carried from`v under the cover I-IIIfandf removed or `'dischargedfromthe ne'edlesi In "the embodiment 'illustrated herein an adjustable 'guide plate or chute II 5'is provided on which the tubes are-laidas theneedles reach a position below the' horizontal. When this." occurs'j-rthe sterile tubes 'automatically slide off' the' needles onftLI-,he chute and thence-onto a conveyor'belt tojdiierenttube'sizes; 'y i v ,i l l Without further analysis,v the foregoingwillfso fully-reveal the gist of this invention that others can, l bylapplying current knowledge .freadily adaptit for various utilizationsby'retaining .one or more'ofthe'features that, fromthe standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential char-1 acteristics `of either the generic` or specicascess'esI I8` afford means foradjustingithe chute pectsof this inventionand, therefore, such adapy tations should be, and are intended to be, comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims:

Having thus revealed this invention, I claim as new and desire to vsecure the following combina- 'recess in said jaws, .means for indexing said rechannels 1aterally to an indexing movement" of said carrier.

3. A vwashing machine having a series of indexible containerreceiving supports, each of said' supports being adapted to mount 'a tube to'be washed, in combination lwith feeding means'cyclically operable to locate and rfeed containers to said receiving vsupDOIts comprisingpairs of conically recessed jaw members and associated axially movable 4feed plungers spaced therefrom, means for advancing said plungers toward `said jaw members thereby to urge the leadingends of containers placedy therebetween into concentric relation Withsaid cone shaped jaws,means for axially aligningsaid supports with theaxis of said cone shaped 'jaws and for holding same insaidfposition, means thereafter operable to'advance said plungers and said jaw members relative to said receiving supports therebyto position the containers carried therebetween in mounted position on'said receiving supports, and means for opening said vjaw-members in timed relation with the indexing movements of said supports.

. 4.. Ampule and. supporting spindle aligning and mounting means comprising agroup of laterally spaced and generally parallel spindles adapted v to mount vampulesr and movable intermittently lfrom a loading station -to a processing station, a relatively reciprocable carriage member at the loading station provided with ampule receiving Y y spaced therein inaccordance Withzthe spacing' of :said spindles, means -for feedingampules to be processed along said'channelstoward'said spindles', oppositely facing ampule and'spindle centering means'at they end' of eachv of the channels, andm'eans for' vadian'cing said carriageand centering means 'towardv said spindles when the latter are in a position of rest atl the loading' station; said ampule f and" spindle centering means 'beingfoperative to align the open end of eacham'pule with an associatedspindle and vtovguide'the spindle centrally into the interiorof the ampule during the loading operation; .n .y y 5. A machine having a series of slender spindles adapted to support relatively small bore tubular containers and means for indexing said slender spindles from station to station, combining means for loading glass tubes on said slender spindles comprising a, reciprocable carriage member having one or more tube receivingchannels therein generally aligned with associated slender spindles, centering fingers at the-end of each of the channels adjacent said spindles, said fingers having tube centering means disposed at one side and having axially aligned spindle centering means disposed 'on the other side, means timed with the indexing movements of said spindles for advancing tubes along said channels toward said centering fingers and said carriage and tubes bodily toward said spindles thereby automatically to bring the tubes and spindles into axial alignment just prior to the time the tubes telescope'the spindles, and means `for actuating said centering fingers and said` carriage between index movements o f said spindles to permit the carrier and -spindles to index. y 6. In a machine having a series of slender spindles adapted to support relatively small bore tubular containers, the combination of means for loading containers on said spindles comprising a reciprocable carriage memberhaving one or more `tube receiving channels formed therein, pfairs'of centering ngers atthe ends of the channel adjacent'saidwspindlesQ said pairs 'of fingers having tube centering means disposed at one side and having axially l aligned spindle centering means disposed .on the other side and apertures 'therethrough toreceive the spindles, means for advancing tubes along said channels'toward said centering fingers and said carriage and tubes bodily toward said spindles thereby automaticallyto center each tubeand its associated spindle` just prior tothe time the spindles are telescoped lby the advancing tubes, and means for opening said centering fingers after telescoping starts. 'Y f 7. The combination set forth in claim including means fork varying the effective action of said container advancing means to suit different containerjl'engths. l

vv8.` Inman ampule Washing machine having a carrier mechanismadapted to receive and' transport: one' or-lrnore ampules to be processed, combining means for loading ampules to be processed on saidk carriercomprising an ampule supporting member; said member havingv a channel formed therein to receive the ampule to be processed, and pneumatici means approximately axially aligned with said'channel andsituated to the rear of the ampulenplacedtherein for advancing thev ampule yalong `the channel, and control means actuated inltimed-relation with the carrier movements for controlling the action of Saidpn'eumatic means and thereby-thc mov'einentof the ampule placed inthe channel. l

9. In'an ampule Washing machine having a carrier; mechanism adapted to receive and transpor-t one or more ampules to beprocessed, combining meansfor loading ampules'to beprocessed on said carrier comprising an ampule supporting member,` said member .having a channel formed .therein to receivetheampuleto be processed-,andpneumatic means for `moving the ampule along the channel toward saidbarrier mechanismjincluding a controlvalve `and `actuating meanstherefortimed with carrier movements.`

10. YAmeans for'mounting a. smallbored tube upon an elongated support comprising a chan-'-` neled carriage member adapted to carry a tube and to transport same 1in the direction of the longitudinal axis ofv the support, tube centering and-support centering means movable with said channeledcarriage comprising a pair of normally closed jaw members having cone shaped recesses formed in opposite sides thereof with the apexes of the recesses toward :each other andterminatinguin an apertureslightly larger than the size of said elongated support for receiving the latter therethrough, means for advancing a tube in the channel of thecarriage toward the cone-shaped recess formedin one rside of,` the jaw members thereby to position the end of the tube in concentric'relation with the aperture in said jaw members,means for advancing said carriage and jaw members tovvardsaidlA support thereby toy effect a'lcentering of the support with the aperture in the tjaw members and to cause the centered end of thesupport to project through the aperture andint'o thetube centered by the Walls of the cone recess-at the otherside of said jaw members, and means.thereafter'goperable to open vsaid jaw members to release said support and telescoped tube therefrom.

11;'A means `for bringing a small bored tube endian elongated support into telescoping relation' comprisinga member adapted to carry a tube and to `transport same in the direction of the Vlongitudinal axis of the'support, tube centering-:and support centering means carried by and movable'vvithI saidmember comprising a pair of normally closed jaw`members each having a cone` shaped' recess formed in opposite sides thereof with the apexesllofthe recesses extending toward 'each other and terminating in a coaxial aperture lslightly largerl than the size of said elongated support for receiving the latter therethrough, supplemental means for moving a tube, relative to said member toward the cone shaped recess in one side of the jaw` members thereby to Icenter the end of the tube with the coaxial aperturev in said jaw members, means for advancing vsaid members toward said support thereby to` effecta centering `of the end of the support with the aperture in the jaw members and to cause the centered end of the support to project through the aperture andinto the tube centered by the Walls ofl the cone recess at the other side of saidfjaw members, means for opening said jaw members'torelease said support and telescoped tube therefrom, and means operable up'on the opening of said-jaw members to elect further telescoping-movement between said support and the tube.

\ 1., 1' i; FRANK J.' COZZOLI. 

